Candlelight Records today confirms the extension of their cooperation with Chicago-based Battle Kommand Records. Founded by Nachtmystium vocalist/guitarist Blake Judd in 2004, Candlelight will now look after the noted underground label’s catalog around the globe; previously the deal was in place for only England and the European continent. Nachtmystium’s highly regarded catalog will be the first to find reissue under the new deal. In stores April 21, each of the band’s early recordings, namely Reign of the Malicious, Nachtmystium, The First Attacks, Demise and the highly acclaimed Instinct: Decay, will again be available for the band’s ...

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The official Roadrunner Records web site has been updated with top-album picks for 2008 from a number of artists that are signed to the label, including members of MACHINE HEAD, MEGADETH, DEVILDRIVER, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE

As some of you may have already noticed, the 2008 Reader's Choice Voting Threads are up and running. These threads are located as "Sticky" at the top of each genre sections in the Forum. Besides individual genres (where we ask you to vote for Top 5), there is also Top 5 Surprises, Top 5 Disappointments and Top 15 overall to be found as "Sticky" in the General Music Discussion forum. Please read the guidelines at the top of each thread, and feel free to ask if there are any questions. Above all, have fun and let your vote be heard!

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The metal community has lost one of its strongest advocates with the passing of Adrian "The Energizer" Bromley. He was just 37 years old. Adrian was the editor and one of the founders of the heavy metal magazine Unrestrained! He had been a metal journalist for many years, and was also a founder of one of the first metal webzines, Chronicle Of Chaos. Until recently Adrian worked in promotion for The End Records and his latest ventures were his promotion company Ixmati Media and record label Absurdist Records.

I've known Adrian for the past few years. I can't believe he is gone, being a year younger than me. It is a shock. I have never met him personally, but always enjoyed a brief ...

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We would like to welcome Charles, Drew, Jerrol, Khelek (Aaron), and Pete to the team of reviewers.
We hope they will like being part of the MetalReviews family and we look forward to having them as valuable additions to the team for years to come.

MetalReviews
In Metal We Trust

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After cancelling several shows last week due to singer Phil Labonte's throat issues, Massachusetts metallers ALL THAT REMAINS have now officially dropped off the U.S. tour with IN FLAMES, 36 CRAZYFISTS and GOJIRA.

Commented the band: "Sorry, but we aren't gonna be at any more of the shows on the IN FLAMES tour. We'll have a press release probably [later today, Monday, December 1]. The holiday weekend has prevented an official release 'cause everyone at the label had gone home when the decision was made to drop. Sorry and we'll figure some way out to make it up to you guys. Thanks and we hope you have a happy holidays and a happy New Year."

Two new SEPULTURA songs — "The Treatment" and "We've Lost You" — are available for streaming on the band's MySpace page.

Brazil's SEPULTURA is a prime example of an intelligent thrash metal act whose powerful compositions continue to tackle exciting and ingenious subjects. 1996 saw the band devote its landmark release "Roots" to the fate of the Xavante Indians on the border of Brazil and Bolivia; in spring 2006 the musicians put to music an opus by the Italian poet and philosopher Dante Alighieri, on their album "Dante XXI". Now this concept has reached a new clim ...

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Jobana Soto of Living in Peru reports: IRON MAIDEN is coming to Peru in their first-ever live performance in Lima slated for March next year. Many fans are in disbelief, excited to see the British heavy metal icons after so many years.

For over a year, El Comerc ...

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Richmond, Virginia-based metallers LAMB OF GOD have issued the following update:

"Be the FIRST to hear new LAMB OF GOD!!! Want to know how? Call 804-381-6758 and Chris [Adler, drums] will tell you how you can be one of the lucky 20 people to receive a LAMB OF GOD USB with brand new music on it!! For all of you outside of the U.S., YES, this is for you too! Some of the winners will have the USBs mailed to them. To call the U.S., first dial '00' then '1' then the number."

LAMB OF GOD has set "Wrath" as the title of its fifth studio album. The record will be issued in North America by Epic on February 24, 2009 and will be ...

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ICS Festival Service GmbH, which organizes the Wacken Open Air festival, has announced that 50,000 tickets have already been sold for next year's event, which will be held July 30 - August 1, 2009 in Wacken, Germany. The remaining tickets are expected to be snapped up by the end of January.

The festival billing is shaping up as follows:

AMON AMARTH
AXEL RUDI PELL
CALLEJON
CATHEDRAL
EINHERJER
EPICA
HAMMERFALL
IN EXTREMO
IN FLAMES
KAMPFAR
KORPIKLAANI
MACHINE HEAD
NEVERMORE
TRISTANIA
WALLS OF JERICHO

Wacken Open Air festival was honored with a Live Entertainment Award in the "Festival Of The Year" ...

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